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Girl loses legs in horror accident

by Sue Carr
25/ 6/2008

A MOTHER has spoken of the moment she comforted a teenager who lost both her legs in a tragic accident.

Jade Smethurst, 15, was playing with friends on the canal bank next to Yew Tree Swing Bridge in Droylsden when the bridge swung round and hit her across the legs.

She was taken to hospital but her injuries were so severe that both legs had to be amputated.

Friend Garth Dean, who lives yards away on Buxton Lane, was with Jade when the accident took place at around 8.20pm on Friday. His mum, Karen, was on the scene within minutes. The 49-year-old care worker said: "As soon as I realised what had happened I shouted to them not to move her and then I stayed with her until the ambulance arrived. She was conscious and I was just stroking her hair and telling her to breathe, there was nothing else anyone could do."

Karen praised the youngsters for their swift action in calling the ambulance and said everyone was still in shock over what had happened.

"It’s a nightmare," she said."I used to work in a hospital and I’ve seen quite a few breaks but I’ve never seen anything like that.  I was just hoping against hope that she wouldn’t lose her legs and I was devastated when I heard what had happened. I went to work on the Sunday morning and I just couldn’t stop crying."

Garth, 15, who goes to Littlemoss Boys School, said youngsters often used the bridge as a meeting place because it was out of the way and they didn’t disturb local residents.

"She was sat on the wall, everyone sits there," he said. "I think she was bending down to get something from her bag and it just bounced off her legs, it was terrible."

Karen came out after hearing the commotion and comforted her until an ambulance — called by one of Jade’s friends — arrived.

She added: "My own children used to open and shut the gate for boats when they were little and I never realised how dangerous it could be."

Jade, a student at Wright Robinson College in Gorton, was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary then Wythenshawe Hospital. She was later transferred to Booth Hall Children’s Hospital where her condition is described as ‘comfortable.’

Mum Wendy, from Abbey Hey, described it as ‘a living nightmare.’

"None of us are thinking straight at the moment, it’s still a blank," she said. "At the moment she is comfortable and we’ve not really spoken to her about it. We’d like to thank the emergency services, the doctors and nurses and her loyal friends who helped."

British Waterways, responsible for maintenance on Ashton Canal, have now launched an investigation to see if the bridge had been vandalised or left unlocked by a boat user.

General manager Debbie Lumb added: "We are deeply distressed to learn of this tragic accident and our thoughts are very much with the young girl and her family."